Workflow system

Abstract

A work managing system for managing B-to-B work wherein the reliability in control and the ease of operation are remarkably improved over the past. For this, the work managing system has a plurality of different work executing sites 4 for executing work assigned to them for an order received from an orderer 3 and a work control site 2 for instructing the progress of work to the plurality of work executing sites 4 and monitoring its progress while linking them with each other, where the work control site 2 and the work executing sites 4 exchange between those managing information relating to the instructions and monitoring of work through a communications network 5.

1 . A work managing system having 
 a plurality of different work executing sites for executing work assigned to them in a work process and    a work control site for instructing the progress of work and monitoring its progress to the plurality of work executing sites while linking them with each other, where 
 the work control site and the work executing sites exchange between those managing information relating to the instructions and monitoring through a communications network.  
   
     
     
         2 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the work control site systematically plans and sets flows of execution of work to be assigned to the plurality of working executing sites for a work process and instructs the progress of the set flows of execution and monitors the progress of the flows of execution.  
     
     
         3 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the work control site includes a work information displaying means for providing work information set for said work executing sites to the work executing sites, a notification displaying means for notifying the work executing sites of the work information, and a confirmation displaying means for confirming responses from work executing sites regarding notifications by said notification displaying means.  
     
     
         4 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the work information is one or both of the content of the work and a work schedule relating to the progress of the work.  
     
     
         5 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the communications network is the Internet and the notification by said notification displaying means and the confirmation by said confirmation displaying means are performed on web pages on the Internet.  
     
     
         6 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the provision of the work information by the work information displaying means is performed on web pages in synchronization with the work information notified by the notification displaying means.  
     
     
         7 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein when there is a notification, this notification is informed by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         8 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein when there is provision of information, this provision of information is informed by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         9 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the work control site displays in parallel the flows of execution assigned to all of the work executing sites and provides this in common to the web pages of the work executing sites.  
     
     
         10 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein, when there is a change in the work information, the work control site reports this change all at once to the work executing sites and simultaneously receives a plurality of responses when requesting responses from the work executing sites about the report.  
     
     
         11 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 7 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of any notification from the notification displaying means by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal, prompts the work executing site side to click on a “notify” part of the notification displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to that notification, and when necessary, prompts it to click on a “provide” part of the work information displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to the provision of information.  
     
     
         12 . A work managing system as set forth in  claim 8 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of provision of information by the work information displaying means by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal and prompts the work executing site side to click on a “provide” part of the work information displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to the provision of information.  
     
     
         13 . A work flow processor in a work managing system including a plurality of different work executing sites for executing work assigned to them for a work process, 
 said work flow processor in a work managing system characterized by being provided with a function of instructing the progress of work to the plurality of work executing sites and monitoring the progress while linking them with each other and a function of exchanging managing information relating to the instructions and monitoring with the work executing sites.    
     
     
         14 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 13 , further provided with a setting means for systematically planning and setting flows of execution of work to be assigned to the plurality of work executing sites for said work process and an instructing/monitoring means for instructing the progress of the set flows of execution and monitoring the progress of the flows of execution.  
     
     
         15 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 14 , further including a work information displaying means for providing work information set for said work executing sites to the work executing sites, a notification displaying means for notifying the work executing sites of the work information, and a confirmation displaying means for confirming responses from work executing sites to notifications by said notification displaying means.  
     
     
         16 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the work information is one or both of the content of the work and a work schedule relating to the progress of the work.  
     
     
         17 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the notification by said notification displaying means and the confirmation by said confirmation displaying means are performed on web pages on the Internet.  
     
     
         18 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the provision of the work information by the work information displaying means is performed on the web pages in synchronization with the work information notified by the notification displaying means.  
     
     
         19 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 18 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of any notification by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         20 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 18 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of any provision of information by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         21 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 18 , which displays in parallel the flows of execution assigned to all of the work executing sites and provides this in common to the web pages of the work executing sites.  
     
     
         22 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 16 , further provided with a function of reporting any change in the work information all at once to the work executing sites and a function of simultaneously receiving a plurality of responses when requiring responses from the work executing sites to that report.  
     
     
         23 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 19 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of any notification from the notification displaying means by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal, prompts the work executing site side to click on a “notify” part of the notification displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to that notification, and when necessary, prompts it to click on a “provide” part of the work information displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to the provision of information.  
     
     
         24 . A work flow processor as set forth in  claim 20 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of provision of information by the work information displaying means by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal and prompts the work executing site side to click on a “provide” part of the work information displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to the provision of information.  
     
     
         25 . A work flow messenger provided in a work managing system including a plurality of different work executing sites for executing work assigned to them for a work process, said work flow messenger in a work managing system characterized by including a work information displaying means for providing work information set for said work executing sites to the work executing sites, a notification displaying means for notifying the work executing sites of the work information, and a confirmation displaying means for confirming responses from work executing sites to notifications by said notification displaying means.  
     
     
         26 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the work information is one or both of the content of the work and a work schedule relating to the progress of the work.  
     
     
         27 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the notification by said notification displaying means and the confirmation by said confirmation displaying means are performed on web pages on the Internet.  
     
     
         28 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the provision of the work information by the work information displaying means is performed on the web pages in synchronization with the work information notified by the notification displaying means.  
     
     
         29 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 28 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of any notification by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         30 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 28 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of any provision of information by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         31 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 28 , which displays in parallel the flows of execution assigned to all of the work executing sites and provides this in common to the web pages of the work executing sites.  
     
     
         32 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 26 , further provided with a function of reporting any change in the work information all at once to the work executing sites and a function of simultaneously receiving a plurality of response when requiring responses from the work executing sites to that report.  
     
     
         33 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 29 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of any notification from the notification displaying means by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal, prompts the work executing site side to click on a “notify” part of the notification displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to that notification, and when necessary, prompts it to click on a “provide” part of the work information displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to the provision of information.  
     
     
         34 . A work flow messenger as set forth in  claim 30 , which contacts sites about the occurrence of provision of information by the work information displaying means by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal and prompts the work executing site side to click on a “provide” part of the work information displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to the provision of information.  
     
     
         35 . A computer readable storage medium storing a program for realizing a work flow processor provided in a work managing system constructed including a plurality of different work executing sites for executing work assigned to them for a work process, 
 said program realizing 
 a function of systematically planning and setting flows of execution of work to be assigned to said plurality of work executing sites for said work process,  
 a function of instructing the progress of the set flows of execution and monitoring the progress of the flow of execution to the plurality of work executing sites while linking them with each other, and  
 a function of exchanging managing information relating to said instructions and monitoring with said work executing sites.  
   
     
     
         36 . A method of display to a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them for a work process, comprising keeping the displays of the terminals continuously on and displaying the occurrence of any notification by a notification displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         37 . A method of display to terminals of a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them for a work process, comprising keeping the displays of the terminals continuously on and contacting sites about the occurrence of any notification by a notification displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal, prompting the work executing site side to click on a “notify” part of the notification displaying means of the terminal to display work information relating to that notification, and, when necessary, prompting it to click on a “provide” part of a work information displaying means of the terminal to display the work information relating to the display.  
     
     
         38 . A method of display to terminals of a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them for a work process, comprising keeping the displays of the terminals continuously on and displaying the occurrence of any provision of work information by a work information displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         39 . A method of display to terminals of a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them for a work process, comprising keeping the displays of the terminals continuously on and contacting sites about the occurrence of any provision of work information by a work information displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal and prompting the work executing site side to click on a “provide” part of the work information displaying means of the terminal to display work information relating to that provision.  
     
     
         40 . A web page provided continuously on terminals of a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to then for a work process, said web page informing the occurrence of any notification by a notification displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         41 . A web page provided continuously on terminals of a plurality of different work executing sites for executing work assigned to them for a work process, said web page informing the occurrence of any notification by a notification displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal, prompting said work executing site side to click on a “notify” part of the notification displaying means to display work information relating to that notification, and prompting it to click on a “provide” part of said work information displaying means to display the work information relating to the display.  
     
     
         42 . A web page provided continuously on terminals of a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them for a work process, said web page informing the occurrence of any provision of work information by a work information displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal.  
     
     
         43 . A web page provided continuously on terminals of a plurality of different work executing sites for executing work assigned to them for a work process, said web page informing the occurrence of provision of work information by a work information displaying means from a work control site to a work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal and prompting said work executing site side to click on a “provide” part of said work information displaying means to display work information relating to said provision.  
     
     
         44 . A work managing and control method for a work process including a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them and a work control site for instructing the progress of the work to the plurality of work executing sites and monitoring the progress while linking them with each other, said work managing and control method for a work process informing the occurrence of any notification of work information from the work control site to a work executing site on a web page of said work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal, prompting said work executing site to click on a “notify” part of a notification displaying means to further open a web page displaying work information relating to said notification, and prompting it to click on a “provide” part of a work information displaying means to further open up a web page displaying work information relating to that provision to thereby notify the work information to said work executing site and displaying a response from the work executing site on the web page of the work control site to allow the work control site to confirm the response.  
     
     
         45 . A work managing and control method for a work process including a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them and a work control site for instructing the progress of the work to the plurality of work executing sites and monitoring the progress while linking them with each other, said work managing and control method for a work process informing the occurrence of any provision of work information from the work control site to a work executing site on a web page of said work executing site by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal and prompting said work executing site to click on a “provide” part of a work information displaying means to further open up a web page displaying work information relating to that provision.  
     
     
         46 . A work managing and control method for a work process including a plurality of different work executing sites executing work assigned to them and a work control site for instructing the progress of the work and monitoring the progress to the plurality of work executing sites while linking them with each other, said work managing and control method for a work process having a work control site report any change in the work information all at once to the work executing sites and contact the sites about this notification by a signal of a mode of expression different from normal on web pages of the work executing sites, prompting the work executing sites to click on a “notify” part of a notification displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to that notification, and prompting them to further click on a “provide” part of a work information displaying means to further open a web page displaying the work information relating to the provision to thereby inform the change of the work information to the work executing sites and simultaneously receive a plurality of responses when requiring responses from the work executing sites to that report.